


The Goblins of Hallow Hill

by ghostofamber



Category: The Hollow Kingdom - Clare B. Dunkle, The Hollow Kingdom trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Day, Caves, F/M, Kidnapped brides, Magic, Other, Travel, animal like goblins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-09-15 01:54:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9213914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostofamber/pseuds/ghostofamber
Summary: Dani was on her way to Britain to see a friend she met in College. Her friend, Arin, had recently gotten married, and moved to a place called Hallow Hill. Arin had asked Dani to come to her new house to help plan a birthday party for her husband. While on the plane to Britain Dani has a dream that makes her nervous about going to the new land. Will her apprehensions prove true, or will everything be fine?





	1. The Moon and Stars

The moon was full over head, silver light filtering through the trees giving barely enough light to see. I stood in the middle of a circle of trees, my dark hair shining in the moonlight. The stars were bright, brighter than I had ever seen, my brown eyes were fixed on the stars above the circle.

The night sky gave me a serene feeling, all of my worries melted away and I slowly sunk to the ground. Time seemed to move around me, no animal sounds reached my ears as I sat staring at the stars, almost as if I were in a trance. Suddenly a feeling of being watched began to grow, the trance broken I looked down at the trees around me. I began to feel like I was being surrounded. Behind me a stick snapped and I twisted to see what had caused the disturbance. 

A tall man stood behind me, a black cloak blocking his face from my sight. Slowly the man raised his two hands, one normal looking other than the fact that the skin looked almost a dark silver, with claws protruding from his fingers. The other hand looked as if it had come from a large lizard or a dinosaur. My eyes became large as the man pulled the hood from his face revealing long curled bushy hair that reached the man's shoulders, and a face as dark silver as his hand. The man had dark eyes, though it looked as if one was darker than the other, it looked almost black. The man had a short beard that had grey interspersed. 

As I stare at the strange man he slowly begins to smile, revealing teeth that shone a dark silver in the moonlight that ended in sharpened points. I begin to scream as the world shakes. 

I open my eyes and look around, the person in the seat next to me gave me a strange look and I gave a small embarrassed smile. The plane began to shake, hitting turbulence. The pilot's voice comes over the intercom reassuring the passengers, I look at the others still sleeping and try to settle back into my seat without closing my eyes. The man's face was still fresh in my mind and I knew that the dream would continue if I were to try to sleep again. 

There was only a few hours left of the flight so I decide to read until we land. The circle of trees and the man kept interrupting my thoughts, and a feeling of dread began to overcome me. 

After landing in London I was to take a train to a small village where my friend lived. She lived on land that they called Hallow Hill and before the plane ride I had been really excited to see her, as I haven't seen her since she had gotten married, but now I feel as if something bad was going to happen.

I close my book and look across my neighbor out the window. The clouds cover up the stars, but I can feel them and they help ease my nerves.


	2. Arrival at Hallow Hill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dani arrives at Hallow Hill, and everything seems to be going well, until she gets lost in the woods as night begins to fall.

The plane had landed and I was currently waiting to get on the train. As the dream faded, my excitement at seeing Arin began to grow again. Arin and I met our freshman year of college, and at first we weren't that close. However, as time went on we began to hang out more and more until we became best friends.

When Arin met her husband, Mark, she fell for him immediately, and they were dating not too long after that. They had been dating from Junior year until Mark proposed the semester before they graduated. Mark was an international student, so of course Arin moved to Britain with him after graduation. 

The wedding took place in London, so I had never been to Hallow Hill. Arin said that the house is beautiful, and she wants to plan an amazing birthday party for Mark that will take place in the backyard which, according to her, leads to the forest. 

The train finally arrives and I board, looking for a seat next to a window. I finally settle down and take out my phone. Arin had texted me about 20 minutes ago, I suck at noticing texts. "When do you think you'll get here? I know you're going to want to sleep, because you love sleep." Her text reads. 

I laugh and look out the window, the sun was now up, and I watched the trees pass by for a few seconds. I look back to my phone and tell Arin that it would be about half an hour. 

Even though it was now day I could still feel where the stars would be, and that helps dissolve the rest of my nerves about the dream I had on the plane. For the rest of the ride I watch the trees blur past, my phone vibrates to signify a text, which was from Arin. "We're gonna meet you at the station. I can't wait to see you!" 

I text back, "Ok! I can't wait to see you either!"

The trees finally began to thin out as we got closer to the station. I began to collect my stuff and sat until the train came to a stop. I followed the other passengers out and started to look for my friend. "Dani!" I hear her yell.

I turn and there's Arin and Mark. Arin was shorter than Mark, though not that much, her brown hair was to her shoulders and very curly, and her blue eyes were bright as she smiled and waved me over. Mark was smiling too, his black hair falling into his face as he waves as well. 

Arin runs at me, almost tackling me as she hugs me. "Jesus!" I shout as I try not to fall. 

"I missed your face!" She says as she backs away, smiling. 

Mark gives me a side hug and then puts his arm around Arin's shoulders. "She was about to drive me insane." Mark smirked as he looks down at his wife, "Thanks for finally getting here, maybe she'll calm down."

I laugh, "You're welcome," I point toward the door, "Can we go now? I'm tired of being around people."

They chuckle and we head out through the door to their car. Throughout the drive we caught up on everything we had missed since the wedding. Arin had recently began a new job, she was a therapist in the village near the house. Mark went into the family business, which means every now and then he has to go to London, but not that often. 

I told them about my substitute teaching, I hadn't been able to find a job in my field yet so I started subbing. I loved working with the kids, they were great. 

The car ride only took about 15 minutes through the village. The village was small, but very well maintained. As we got closer to the house a lake appeared, "That's Hallow Lake," Mark says as we drive along it, "there's a legend about it that says it's hollow and goblins live underneath it."

We laugh, how could a lake possibly be hollow? The forest begins to grow denser and Mark explains that the forest has never been touched, ever since the village was founded, "There's another legend, that goblins and elves protect the forest." He says, a small laugh escaping, "There's a lot of legends about goblins."

"I noticed that." I said, "Are there others?"

Arin turned to me, "There's one that I know about," she looks at Mark and he nods, "In the old days unmarried girls weren't allowed out at night, because there's a legend that says that goblins and elves steal unmarried girls to be their brides." 

I squint my eyes, "They only steal them at night?"

"Apparently they're like vampires or something, I don't know." She laughs as she turns around again. 

I shake my head, laughing softly, and look back out at the lake, stifling a yawn I could've sworn I saw a very large black cat on the other side of the lake. I turn to look through the back window, but it wasn't there. I shake my head and turn back around. 

"There's the house!" Arin says excitedly. 

She points to a large house. The house looks as if it had been there for hundreds of years, which it apparently it has. The front of the house has shrubs around the sides, with flowers next to the stairs. Columns hold up the roof over the porch, and there are several windows. The double doors have stained glass windows depicting the forest around the house. 

I stare open mouthed. "I thought you said it wasn't that big!" I said to Mark as we pull into the driveway and park. 

"It isn't!" He says opening his door. 

I look at Arin and she rolls her eyes. "There are like 8 bedrooms. It's stupid big, but his parents' house is bigger." She shrugs and gets out of the car as well. 

I open my door and step onto the gravel, the Victorian house looms above me and I turn to look at Mark as he pulls my luggage out of the trunk. "This place is huge and you suck." 

We walk into the house and Arin gives me a tour. As we walk through more and more of the house I start to feel like I really want to punch Mark in the face. "Is it ok if I punch your husband in the face?" I ask her as we stand in a freaking parlor. 

She laughs, "Why do you want to punch him?"

I gesture to the room around us, "He said the house wasn't that big!"

She laughs again, "I know, but you can't punch him." 

"Fine." I say as we leave the room. 

Arin leads me to a room, "This is your room."

The room was almost as big as my entire apartment. The bed is huge, and there's a fireplace on the wall opposite the bed. Double doors made of glass are in the middle of the far wall. Paintings were dispersed around the room. "Can I start a fire?" I ask pointing at the fireplace. 

"Uhh. Sure." She replies, "but not right now cause you look like you're about to pass out."

I nod. "Ok. I'm gonna sleep now."

She nods and leaves. I walk around the room looking at the paintings. They were old, I couldn't tell how old, but they looked like they had been there for a while. I turn toward the bed and look at it. There were curtains that could be closed around the bed, which I have always loved. I walk to the double doors and look out, the doors led to the forest and it kind of freaked me out a little so I closed the curtains. 

I go back to the bed and climb onto it, pulling the curtains down. I lay down and fall asleep almost instantly. 

When I wake up I'm in complete darkness. For a second I panic until I remember that I had closed the curtains on the bed. I push through them and move to the double doors to open those curtains. The sun was facing the room, so I closed the curtains again and made my way out of the room. 

Arin and Mark are sitting on the couch in the parlor watching tv. I sit with them for a while, but then I feel like I'm becoming a third wheel so I ask if it would be ok to go on a walk in the forest. "Sure," Mark says, "just watch out for the goblins and elves."

"Haha, very funny," I reply as I walk to the doors on the other side. "I'll be back." 

I open the doors and walk out. The sun was still high enough to see through the trees and I quickly find a path. I walk along the path for a while, but I start to get bored, so I walk away from the path trying to walk in the same direction so I won't get too lost. 

I walk until I find a fallen tree, so I stop and sit down. I relax and let the sounds of nature surround me. I close my eyes and just sit. Before I know it I'm waking up as the sun falls below the trees. I shoot up and look around. It was already pretty dark, but soon it would be too dark to see. I start walking back the way I came, looking for something familiar. As I walk more I end up back at the fallen tree. I stop and look at it. "Oh, no." I say as I turn back around. 

I start walking again, the sun was almost completely gone by the time I made it back to the fallen tree. "What the hell?!?" I yell. 

I sit down for a second and try to figure out how this could have happened. I walked in as straight a line as possible. I get up and start to jog in a different direction. I keep a look out for the fallen tree, but I don't see it again. 

I keep going until I run into a clearing. The clearing is a circle surrounded by trees. I stop in my tracks and look around. It's the circle from my dream.


	3. Here Enters the Goblin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dani meets two strange creatures in the circle of trees, and the man seems to be the one from her dream, but how is that possible?

I walk to the middle of the circle, my breath coming faster. The sun was completely gone now. In the circle there was no sound of nature, no birds, no small animals scurrying around, nothing. I pat my pockets hoping I had brought my phone, but it wasn't there. "Shit." I say aloud. 

I turn and look around me, then up at the sky remembering how clear the sky had been in my dream. Thick clouds covered the sky in the clearing above the circle, and I relaxed a little. From my left I heard something moving, but I was unable to see anything past the trees.

There was another sound behind me and it started to feel like someone or something was watching me. I knew that if I left the circle then I would never see Arin again, so I sat in the middle of the circle and tried not to look around. 

Suddenly I felt utterly exhausted and felt my head begin to fall. 'Just sleep.' I heard a man's voice say. 

I forced my head up and shook it. Where had that voice come from? I try to look around me, but it was too dark to see. I felt another wave of exhaustion and I jumped up from the ground. "Stop it!" I yell. 

I stood in the circle trying to force my eyes to work in the darkness. I hear a shuffling sound behind me and turn to see a small old woman holding an old fashioned lantern. "Hello, dear. What is a pretty girl like you doing out here at this hour?" She says holding up her lantern. 

The woman was very small, maybe around 4 foot 5. Her gray hair was put up neatly into a bun and she was wearing a worn blue dress. "I got lost." I answer the woman as I take a step away from her. 

The woman smiled, her teeth were brown and I take another step back. "Oh don't worry dear, old Sandra won't hurt you." She smiles at me again, "Would you like some help?" She asks. 

"I don't know." I say looking her up and down. 

Sandra smiles, "You're staying at the Hall correct?"

"The Hall?" I asked, my brows knitting together. 

"The house on top of the hill. It used to be called Hallow Hill Hall." Sandra says slowly moving closer to me, "The Hall used to belong to the Winslow sisters, but they married and gave it to a ward of theirs. Of course that was quite a long time ago, back during the reign of Marak Sixfingers."

"What?" I take a step back before I realize I'm outside of the circle. 

I feel someone behind me and turn to see a tall man wearing a cloak with a hood covering his face. I gasp as a hand begins to reach for me. I turn and run back into the circle, Sandra standing right where I left her. "Dear, you don't have to worry about Marak, he won't cause you any harm either." She says patting my shoulder. 

I look at her with wide eyes and start nodding my head, "Oh yeah, sure. He's definitely not going to, that's why I feel like I can't leave this circle." I turn away from Sandra and look in the opposite direction of Marak. 

"You really feel like that?" A deep voice asks from the shadows of the tree.

"Yeah, so stop trying to make me sleep, or leave, because I'm not going to!" I yell to the darkness. 

"All right," the voice says, "tonight we will let you return in peace." 

I hear the man walk away, Sandra sets the lantern down next to me, smiles, and then follows after the man. I stand there for a few minutes listening for movement before I move to the lantern. I lift the lantern and walk around the circle looking for anyone outside. When I saw no one I started to leave the circle, and somehow managed to find my way back to the house rather quickly. 

I blew out the flame and set the lantern down on the porch and entered the house through the double doors I left through. Arin jumped from the couch, "Where the fuck have you been?" She shouted at me. "You've been gone for hours!"

"Sorry," I say moving to sit on the couch, "I fell asleep on a fallen tree."

Mark walks into the parlor, putting down a drink, "We thought you had been stolen by goblins." He chuckles. 

I chuckle and look down. "Pretty close to it, but no." 

Arin finally sits down, "I should've known not to let you go out for a walk by yourself."

I shrug, "Well, I'll be more careful next time."

"You didn't even take your phone! We found it on the table in your room." Arin says tossing my phone to me. 

"Yeah I realized that when I was looking for it to use the flashlight." I looked at my phone and saw the texts and missed calls from both Arin and Mark. 

Arin glares at me as I put my phone up, "I'm sorry!"

She looks at Mark and he raises his eyebrows, "Don't look at me. I had nothing to do with it." He says raising his hands in a defensive stance. 

Arin turns back to me and points at me, "Next time you go anywhere you better take your phone with you or I'm gonna punch you in the throat!"

I raise my hands too, "Ok, ok! I promise I'll take it!"

She nods and then sits back using Mark as a cushion and he puts his arms around her. I look at the tv at some weird show, we stay there for a few hours, the two of them explaining the show to me. Eventually Arin and Mark head off to bed and I sit in the parlor for a little longer before I go back to my room. 

When I enter the room I turn the light next to the bed on and look for my bag with my books in it. I grab the book I tried to read on the plane and walked to the bed, as I passed by the double doors I felt like someone was outside looking at the doors. I opened one of the curtains and looked out, but of course I couldn't see past the tree line. I locked the doors and then closed the curtain and laid down on the bed to read. 

I ended up finishing my book around 3 am, but I still wasn't tired so I walked to the double doors and peered out of the curtain again, and right at the edge of the forest stood a huge black cat that was staring at my doors. I closed the curtain and backed away. This was going to be a long night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that Seylin lived over 100 years before this, but hey, why can't his great grandson have the same abilities?


	4. What's With the Cat?

The trees blur past me as I run, the star's silver light guiding me through the forest. I hear the man running behind me. 'Go faster.' I repeat to myself. 

Through the trees I can see the shadows of creatures as they try to keep me on a certain path, I know that if I were to stray one of them would catch me. The man is getting closer, I can feel it as his hand reaches out for me. "No!" I scream as I bolt out of my bed. 

I look around, I'm still in my room in the stupidly big house. The lamp next to the bed is still on, I can see the sun as it begins to rise through the now open curtains, I know I closed them last night. I get off the bed and walk to the doors, one is ajar and I quickly close and lock it. I look up to the forest line and the huge black cat is still there, staring at me with unblinking eyes. 

I glare at the cat before I pull the curtains closed. I run to my purse and dig around until I find a small plastic case full of safety pins and I turn back to the curtains. I begin to pin the curtains together from the bottom up and at a certain point I have to stop to get a chair, I hate being so short sometimes. 

I decide to stop after I get to the point I can't reach anymore, then step back and admire my work. "That's probably not gonna stop it." I say out loud. 

I shrug and put the container away and look at my phone, it's only 6:23 am. I sigh and walk to my door, opening it I glance down the hallway. All the lights are still off, which means Arin and Mark are still probably sleeping. I close the door and walk to the middle of the room. "Ok, I'm bored." I say to no one. 

I grab my phone from the table and walk to the double doors regretting the fact that I pinned the curtains. I undo the pins and open them. I look to where the cat was not too long ago and it's gone. I furrow my brow and then shake my head, "Whatever."

I unlock the doors and then walk out one of them, it's a little chilly so I go back in and grab a jacket from one of my bags. I close the door as I head out again and decided that during the day it should be fine for me to try and find the circle again. 

I walk towards the tree line, trying to keep an eye out for the cat, but seeing nothing I walk into the forest. I quickly find a path and start strolling down it, the breeze finds its way to me through the trees. The birds are chirping, and the serenity of the sounds soon has me smiling. 

"I needed this," I say to myself. 'Too much time in the city is not good for me.'

I had moved to a bigger city after graduation, hoping to find a job in my field, which didn't happen. I missed the town that I used to live in, small compared to where I had moved, and was surrounded by woods and mountains. It was a great place to look at the stars too, not many lights; in the city I can barely see the night sky and that's what I hate the most about it. 

I look up at the sky, barely any clouds, and of course I remember my dream. 'Definitely not going anywhere near here tonight.' I think. 

I spend another 20 minutes walking the path before I find the circle. 'I honestly wasn't expecting to find it.' I think as I enter the circle. 

The trees end at the beginning of a small hill, which is what creates the circle, I climb the hill and sit down in the very middle of the circle. The branches above create a small canopy that covers the edges of the circle but not the middle itself. "This would be a great place to dance under the stars." I say to myself. 

'I really need to stop talking to myself.' I think. 

The hill was covered in short, soft grass. I ran my hand over the grass and chuckled as it tickled my hand. At that moment I noticed that I couldn't hear anything, no birds, no animals, not even the wind through the trees. 'Ok, that's weird.'

I don't feel anyone near me though, so I relax a little. I continue to examine the circle, but there's not much to it, the circle is wide, it would probably fit about 20 people comfortably, which to me means no one would be near me at all. 

I look around again then pull out my phone. I pull up my texts and click on Arin's name. 'Hey, do you know that weird clearing in the woods that's circled by trees?'

I put the phone down next to me. Arin is probably still asleep. I lean back and look up at the clouds. They pass by the canopy making strange shapes. I lay down fully and watch the clouds twist into new shapes. A rabbit shifted and became a snake, a cat became a man, and a dog twisted to become a dinosaur. 

I closed my eyes and drifted off thinking about the shifting clouds. Darkness engulfed me and as a picture slowly began to develop a sound from next to me pushed it away. I opened my eyes, sat up, and froze. Five feet away from me stood the cat, frozen in mid-step.


	5. Seriously, What's With the Cat?

The cat was so much larger than any other I had ever seen, almost as big as a Great Dane. It put its paw down and continued to stare at me. 

My phone rang again, I slowly moved my hand toward my phone keeping eye contact with the cat. As my hand reached the phone I move my legs to stand slowly. The cat sits in front of me, watching every move. 

I begin to back away. The cat doesn't move as I make it to the tree line. "Ok, giant cat," I pause in front of the trees, "I'm going to go now, so I would appreciate it if you would not follow me. Ok?"

The cat tilts its head and stares at me. I'm about to facepalm for talking to a cat like it could understand me when it nods its head twice. It stands, turns and disappears between the trees. I stand there, my mouth open. "Um. Ok" I say as I turn and slowly make my way back to the house. 

By the time I can see the house I remember my phone, I push the home button to light up the screen. There are two texts, both from Arin. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I'll ask Mark." 

"Hey where are you? It's too early for you to not be in the house. I'm gonna have to put a bell on you."

I laughed at the second text, "Maybe you should give the bell to that cat." I say out loud. 

I reach the house and go inside. "Arin?" I call as I close the door. 

"Dani?" Arin calls back. 

I move to the doorway leading out of the parlor, "Arin?"

"Dani?" I hear from the right. 

I walk into the hall and start toward Arin's voice. "Arin?"

"Dani!"

"Mark!" Mark says from behind me. 

"Holy god!" I shout as I jump. I turn and glare at Mark, he smiles back, "You ruined the moment!"

He laughs and walks around me, "I believe my lovely wife is in the kitchen." He says back to me. 

I sigh and follow him, Arin is at the counter making waffles. Mark walks to her and puts his arms around her, "Waffles?" He asks. 

"Waffles." She replies lifting the top to check on it. "So, Dani. What circle of trees are you talking about?"

"It's in the middle of the forest." I begin, "the trees stop around this little hill, and the branches make a small canopy above it, and there's a circle in the branches right above the top of the hill that lets you look at the sky."

Mark looks down at the counter, "I've actually never heard anything about that. Which is weird."

Arin finishes the waffles and puts them on the plates, "Well, you'll just have to show us sometime." She says picking up her plate, "For now lets just eat."

Mark and I pick up our plates and follow her to the table in the corner of the kitchen. The chair I sit in has a perfect view out of the two glass doors that lead out to the patio. I try my hardest to ignore the forest and pay attention to my friends, but finally something pulls my attention from them. The cat is sitting in the shade of a tree, staring at me again. I glare at it and turn back to Arin. Maybe if I ignore the thing it will go away.


	6. The Full Moon Cometh

Days passed, Arin and I planned the party as much as we could. We knew we wanted to have the party outside, which I was ok with until Arin said that it would last past sunset. I didn't think it would help to tell her about the dreams, the old woman, and the man in the hood. And the cat. She would just put me under house arrest. And try to keep the cat. 

The party was scheduled for Saturday, which gave us six days to get everything together. Weirdly enough Mark's birthday coincides with the full moon, which made me super excited. I've always felt a connection to the moon and the stars. The connection always confused my mom, she said I got it from my dad, but she rarely ever talks about him. My dad died shortly after I was born, so I didn't really know him. If anyone asked him my dad would say that he was an alien and that was why he had such a connection to the stars. At least that's what mom used to say. 

I look down at the list in my hand, it's always around the full moon that I think about my dad. I focus on the list, it's very long. I don't know how Arin thinks all of this is going to fit in a car with two people. Arin is driving down the road heading to the village, there are some stores and shops there and she hopes to find everything there. 

"Can you tell me again how all this is going to fit in this car? With both of us in it?" I hold up the list. 

"Magic." She answers, eyes glued to the road. 

"I thought you didn't believe in magic?"

Arin glances at me and raises her eyebrow, "Do you still believe in magic?"

I look out the window, hunching down in my seat, "No." I say in a small voice. 

"Ha! Yes you do!" Arin laughs. 

She hits my leg as we make a turn into the village. "Stop judging me." I mutter. 

"I'm not judging you. You're just adorable sometimes. Still believing in magic." Arin parks the car and looks at me, "Don't ever change, we need some people that still believes in that shit."

I roll my eyes and open my door, "Whatever. Where are we going first?"

"The bakery, they make really good cake." 

We spent the day slowly collecting everything we needed. For a small village it was surprising that they had so many shops. We had actually managed to buy everything we needed, and some of it was going to be delivered the day of the party. "Wait, Mark does know about the party, right?" I finally think to ask. 

Arin turns and looks at me, "Are you seriously just asking that now?" She lifts an eyebrow at me. "Yes, he does know. There's no way we would be able to do all of this without him knowing."

"I was just wondering." I mutter shifting the bags I'm holding. "Can we just go back to the house now? I feel like my hands are about to fall off."

Arin turns and starts walking again, shaking her head. I glare at her back and try to decide if it would be worth it to throw something at her. Knowing Arin, it would not be a good idea. 

After we got back to the house Arin and I unloaded everything and she ordered food, which was cool. Mark watched us pull out the loot, shaking his head. "You know, I don't need all of this stuff, we could just have a small party with family." Arin and I look up at him. "And Dani, I mean you're practically family." He added patting me on the shoulder. 

"Gee, thanks." I say turning back to the bags. 

Arin stands up straight, "I want to throw a nice party for you at least once, and this is the second birthday you've had since we've been married and I feel bad that I couldn't throw a big party last year." She places her hands on her hips, "so get over it, we're having a big party."

Mark pouts and slowly walks away, "I thought he would be ok with a bunch of people celebrating him." I say quietly. 

"Me too."

Mark finally showed up when the food got here, Arin apologized and told him that she wouldn't make his next birthday into a big deal. I felt a bit awkward sitting there while they were being all couple-like. Luckily they remembered I was there and they stopped. 

Dinner was actually really good, and we hung out for a while after that. We watched stupid videos in the parlor, I was having fun until I looked out the double doors and saw that cat. But this time he wasn't alone, the small woman was standing further back in the trees, holding a lamp.


	7. Why Won't They Leave Me Alone?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated in a while, this being a Senior in college thing isn't as easy as I thought it would be. I will try to update more often, but I'm also going to go through and do some editing to the past chapters cause I noticed some stuff that needs to be fixed. Anywho, enjoy the chapter that I had almost done a month ago...

I stared out the doors, Arin and Mark fell silent beside me and I turned to look at them. They were both fast asleep. I slowly stood and faced the doors, Sandra and the cat were walking toward the house and I began to walk backward. 

Sandra smiles and motions for me to walk to her, I ignore the gesture and spin around running to the kitchen. "Why won't they leave me alone?" I ask myself as I search for a knife. 

Even though I had been here for a while now I still didn't know the layout of the kitchen very well, but luckily Arin was very precise about where she places everything so I found the knives after a few moments of panic. I grab the butcher knife and turn around, being careful to not cut myself on accident. 

I could faintly hear the doors in the parlor open, I grip the knife tighter and duck down beneath the counter. I could hear a single set of footsteps coming toward the kitchen. The steps were too heavy to be Sandra's, she is a very tiny woman after all. I hold my breath and listen as the steps slowed down. "Why do you have a knife?" A deep voice asks from above me. 

My head jerks up, the man in the hood is leaning over the counter, his hand under his chin as he glances down at me. I scoot backward, my legs hitting the cabinets behind me. The man, Marak(?), continues to stare at me. "Why won't you leave me alone?" I ask for the second time. 

"You're ideal."

I open my mouth, and quickly shut it. I look down and my brow furrows, "Wait, what?" I manage to get out as I look up. 

He laughs, "You will make an ideal King's Wife."

We sit there in silence for a few seconds. I try to understand what he just told me, but he's obviously nuts. "Marak?" Sandra asks from the hall. 

"Hmm?" He acknowledges, though his eyes never leave me. 

"I believe the others are beginning to stir, would you like for Mikale to redo the spell?"

He nods, Sandra backs away and turns. Marak continues to stare at me, "So, that knife," he points towards it, "are you going to just keep it or...?"

I glance down, the knife isn't very long but Arin keeps all of her knives sharp. "What do you want?"

"I want to marry you." 

I grimace down at the knife, "If I go with you I'll never see my friend again will I?" I look up at him. 

He sighs, straightens up, walks around the counter and kneels down in front of me. His lizard hand reaches for the knife, I drop it and pull my arm back. "No, if you go with me you will live the rest of your life underground. No more walks in the forest, no more sunlight. No more stars." He looks down at me and for a second I see regret on his face. 

He grabs my wrist and pulls me up, I gasp and try to pull away from him but he's stronger than he looks. I start to panic, my breath hitched and I feel something similar to a snap in my chest. A burst of energy builds up from where the snap occurred and I could feel it move towards my arm and down to where Marak was grasping my wrist. I look up at the back of his head as the energy reaches my wrist and jumps from my arm to his hand. Marak yells and drops my arm, he twists to stare at me holding his hand against his chest, his face contorted in pain and anger. 

I fall to the ground and start scooting backward until I hit the counter. Still having trouble catching my breath I stare up at Marak, and he stares down at me. "How did you do that?!?" He yells. 

I flinch and try to move back further, but the cabinets behind me stop my retreat. Sandra and the cat run up behind Marak, "Sir? What happened?" Sandra asks pulling his arm down to look at it. 

Marak continues to stare at me, the anger fades from his face and turns to wonder. "Let's go." He says snatching his hand back from Sandra, "We'll come back another time." 

The three turn and leave. I sit in the floor for a little longer as I finally catch my breath. I hear shuffling in the parlor as Arin and Mark rouse from the spell. I slowly stand up, footsteps come from the hall, "Dani?" Arin calls. 

I quickly turn to the fridge and open it, grabbing the first drink I can find. "Yeah?" I answer, turning as she enters the kitchen. 

"Did we fall asleep?" She asks. 

"Yeah, for a little bit." I say opening the drink and taking a big drink. 

Arin watches me, her brows furrow, "Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I laugh and set the drink on the counter. "No, not a ghost, just a really big cat."

I wipe some of the liquid off of my lip and look at my best friend. I can't let her know about that man, she'll try to protect me and probably get hurt in the process. 

Arin laughs, "What's with you and cats?"

She walk around to the fridge and starts searching for something. I laugh, "I just don't like them that much anymore."


	8. Marak's POV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place the day after the last attempted kidnapping, kind of from Marak's point of view.

The mirror rippled, the liquid substance distorted the image of the girl as she sat in her room watching the sun as it went below the trees. Marak stood before the liquid mirror watching her, he found her to be truly ideal, and the incident last night proved that she would make an excellent King’s Wife. He looks down at his hand, almost as if he were expecting there to be some sort of damage left by the shock she had given him, and of course there wasn’t. ‘How had she done that?’ he wondered.

Marak could tell by her accent that she wasn’t from Britain, but had elves really crossed so far away from their homeland? There had been decades when the elves had disappeared, most had left because they thought their King had died without leaving an heir, except the elves the goblins had captured to marry. The elf King had returned though, and most elves had returned to be with their King. How is it possible to have an elf here that had traveled from so far away, in these times?

Marak turned away from the mirror, his cloak causing a ripple in the liquid. He left the small room, slamming the wooden door. The hallway was made of stone, more like the hallway was carved into the stone, and there were stones embedded into the walls that cast light throughout the hall. 

Marak strolled down the hall until he came to an arch that led away, the room on the other side of the arch led to many other halls, the light from the same stones shone through each entrance. Marak turned to his left to a path that led to another wooden door, and on the other side of that door? Was his kingdom.

When he reached to door he slowly opened it, since the sun had just gone down his people would just now be waking up. The door swung to reveal what looks like a large underground cave system, lit throughout by spelled stones, what looked like grass and flowers were really gems that lined each pathway. And in the sky, were not clouds but water that revealed the darkening sky above the lake the kingdom was located under. 

The Goblin King smiled as he looked at his kingdom, knowing soon his wife would be with him down here. He looked up at the water as the stars slowly began to come out, the water caused the stars to create a bursting effect, as if Starry Night had been painted from below the lake. 

Marak closed the door, and walked back to his throne room, knowing his subjects would soon start to arrive to start the “day”, so to speak. He had to make plans to get Dani to the entrance before she realized what was happening, because if she were given the chance to escape he knew that it would be a fight to get her back.

As his subjects slowly began to enter the castle Marak waited patiently for his general. He watched the goblins and dwarves as they went to work, as they interacted with one another. The dwarves were the ones that created all the stone lights, and the gem plants, they had a strange connection with the earth that allowed them to create things of beauty from the stones around them. The goblins were a stark contrast to the dwarves, some were tall, some short, some were elf-pretty while others had several different animal features.

Mikale entered through the arch and made his way to stand beside Marak’s throne, he gave a slight bow and turned to face the room. Marak glanced up at the boy, he was still young, and looked a lot like his great grandfather, Seylin. He is very elf-pretty, meaning that he doesn’t show many goblin characteristics. His eyebrows, where others would normally point down, points up, his dark hair falls over his dark eyes, and the beginnings over a beard have started to appear on his jaw.

“Mikale?” Marak asked, using the goblin language.

The young goblin jumped, “Yes, Marak?” he answered looking to his King.

“Do you think there is a possibility that Dani could be part elf?” He asked his young friend.

Mikale silently thought for a few seconds, “It would make sense, she easily thwarted the sleeping spells, and she used a defensive spell against you last night. But, she is from America, and I didn’t think any elves still lived so far away from their King.” 

Marak nods and turns back to look at the growing crowd of people, “Those were my exact thoughts. It would seem that I have a need to talk to the Elf King sometime before the full moon.”

“The full moon?” The elf-like goblin asked.

“Yes, Dani’s friend is throwing a party for her husband’s birthday on the night of the full moon, and I’m sure that Dani planned to leave after the party. So, we may have to wait until that night to take her.” Marak answered as he watched his general enter the room. “Ask Leigh to meet me after court so we can go confer with the Elf King.”

Mikale bows his head slightly and walks to the general. Leigh was a massive goblin, he had the horns of a bull and the strength to match it. On his head was thick blonde fur that protected most of his head and neck. His legs were like that of a wolf, and his hands ended in the claws of a wolf as well. When Marak was younger he knew that Leigh would grow to become a great warrior, and he had. Marak had taught him how to be an effective leader as well, and Leigh had grown through the ranks very fast. 

Marak watched his people before he stood to gain their attention. At 6 foot 2 he was able to see over most other goblins’ heads, and he garnered their attention rather easily. His dark curled hair was held back in a ponytail, which he didn’t do very often, to allow him to conduct court without the issue of his hair getting into his face. The goblins and dwarves turn to the King, and he smiles revealing his teeth that were normal other than the fact that they were a dark silver. 

The King knew that he would be able to develop a plan to get his bride here before they ran out of time, the Elf King might even lend a hand if it means that Marak won’t take an elf as a bride from his camp. Marak raised his hand and court began.


	9. Goodbye Hallow Hall, it's Been Real.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dani leaves Mark and Arin's house to stay at hotel, hoping to get away from the forest and the strange creature that won't leave her alone.

I sat on my bed, a shiver goes up my spine. This would be the last night I spent at Hallow Hill, I had already paid to stay in a hotel in town. I haven't been able to sleep for the past few nights, Arin had actually suggested the change. She knew that I was having nightmares, though she didn't know what they were about, I still didn't want to tell her about the strange man. Lately the nightmares had changed, they would begin the same as the others but after I was caught by Marak it would continue to a strange ceremony in a cave. There was blood, chanting, and I was surrounded by strange creatures. I knew that if I didn't leave soon I would never see the light of day again. I mean, I could do without daylight, the sun has always hurt my eyes anyway, but the stars and the moon. That was another story. 

It's been two days since Marak had last talked to me, since I had somehow shocked him, I'm still confused about how I was able to do that. Marak hasn't returned, the cat has been here a lot though. I think it might be spying on me. There were four days until the party, and I couldn't wait to get out of here. I've been keeping the curtains in my room closed, so I wouldn't have to see the cat, but that means I haven't been able to look at the stars. 

Arin and Mark are both concerned about me, I'm pretty sure they think I've lost my mind, I can't stop this paranoia that I'm having. I stand up and slowly walk to the closed curtains, maybe a quick look out wouldn't hurt. I stop in front of the curtains, and slowly lift my hand to shift the heavy fabric. Everything seems normal until I look at the tree line, and there is that weird cat. I quickly shut the curtain and turn back around. I take a deep breath and walk to the door, Arin needs me to help her with a few things before I leave to go to the hotel. I walk out the door and close it tightly behind me and walk forward to find my friend.  
__________________________________________________________________________________  
Arin and I had just finished everything that she had planned today, the sun was beginning to set. I looked at the sun and sighed. "I guess it's time for me to go to the hotel now." I say as I turn to my friend.

She sadly smiles at me and pats my arm, "Maybe it will help if you get away from the forest. You've always been weird around nature anyway."

"Wait, what's that supposed to mean?" I ask, my brow furrowing.

"Oh you know," She started, looking anywhere but at me, "how you're freaked out by deep water, and animals. And dark places. And sharks."

I start laughing, "Ok, whatever." I shake my head.

Mark walks out of the living room, "Are you ready to go?" he asks me, his keys already in his hand.

I nod and pick up my backpack, "Sorry that I have to leave."

"It's no problem!" Mark reassured me, "I just want you to get away from whatever it is that is causing you these nightmares."  
Mark grabs my other bag and we all leave the house. The plan was to get me checked in to the hotel, and then grab something to eat together at a small diner that Mark is in love with.

During the ride to the hotel I watched the cat as it followed the car from the tree line. I sighed and turned to look at Arin and Mark, their fingers entwining their hands together. I look down at my feet and purse my lips, at least I'll feel like less of a third wheel now. We made it to the hotel soon after that, after we checked in we headed to the diner. While in the car I watched the sun as it slowly went below the horizon. 

The diner was sort of small, but it was cute. It was done in almost a 50's style, with the weird poofy skirts and all. We were led to a booth, Mark and Arin deciding to sit across from me. After we had ordered and gotten our drinks I noticed a group of people enter the diner, they were all wearing hoods that hid their faces. The two tallest led the group into the diner. One was wearing a green jacket and the other was wearing a blue jacket. The only other one wearing a green jacket was shorter than the others and stayed close the taller one in green, the two others were wearing purple and stayed behind the one in blue. The hostess sat them at a table in a corner that was a bit darker than the rest of the diner. The one in blue sat so that he was facing our booth, the two in purple sat on either side of him, while the two in green sat across from them. I looked back at my friends and tried to ignore them, but it was hard to, I kept getting a feeling that they were watching me and it was making me uncomfortable. 

I turned and looked at the group again. The one in the blue hood was looking towards us, the taller one in green turned in our direction and nodded at us. Even though both of their faces were in the shadow from their hoods I could see some curly hair as it fell out from the blue hood of the strange person facing me. The person raised their hand to put the strand of hair back into the hood, a blue glove was covering the person's hand but as the sleeve of the jacket slid back I could see that the person's skin was a dark silver. I gasped and turned back to my friends.

The waitress came as I turned back, bringing our food with her. I looked at the couple across from me, they hadn't noticed my little freak out. I sighed and thanked the waitress. I looked down at my plate, though I was paying attention to the group in my peripheral. The person in green turned back to the person that I suspected to be Marak. I started to eat my food, keeping an eye on the table. The waitress went to get their orders and quickly left. The tall one in green stood up and turned in our direction. I put my food down and look up at my friend, Arin was too busy paying attention to her food, as was Mark. As I stare at Arin the person begins to walk towards our booth, and I start to stiffen in my seat. As the person gets closer I begin to relax a little, it felt as if a calming presence had been laid on me like a blanket. I looked up at the person as they stopped next to our booth, our eyes connecting. I let out my breath, he was handsome. 

The man with the green hood watched me, his expression going from one of surprise to a pleasant smile within a few seconds. He was probably as tall as Marak, he had brown eyes, and strangely his eyebrows didn't arch down like everyone else's, they curved up toward his hairline. Mark looks up at the man, "Hello?" He says looking him up and down.  
The man was wearing a completely green outfit, and it looked as if it was made from some sort of plant. The man slowly looks from me to Mark and Arin. They look up at him, their eyes going wide before their heads slowly lower to the tabletop. I look around, all the others in the diner are now lying asleep where they were. I look back at the man, the calming presence disappears as if I had ripped it from me and I glare up at the him. "Who the fuck are you?" I all but snarl.

He snaps his head back to me and I instantly lower my head. "I am the King of the Elves." He answers. "And you my dear. Are more elf than you are human."

I look back up at him and cock my head to the side, "Excuse me?" I lift an eyebrow and study his face, he looks completely serious.

He snorts and turns back to the table with the others, he starts to speak in a language I can't understand and the one in the blue jacket stands and walks over to him, he lowers his hood to reveal that it is in fact Marak, his long curls falling around his face. He looks from the elf to me in awe. He says something to the man in the same language as he stares at me. I slowly start to back further into the booth, feeling uncomfortable with his gaze on me. The king turns back to me and looks me over, and nods. "My name is Nir." He says to me.

I make eye contact with him, "Good for you." I sneer at him.

He chuckles. "I see why you like her so much." He says to Marak. Nir sits down next to me and leans closer, "You're from America?"

I nod. He narrows his eyes at me, "Do you know much about your parents families?"

I glare at him and try not to answer, he mutters a strange word under his breath and I find that I can't stop myself from speaking anymore, "I don't know much about my dad or his family, he died before I was born. I'm close to my mom's family, and they are definitely human." I say before I snap my mouth shut. I place my hands over my mouth to try to stop myself from answering anymore of his questions.

Nir continues to look at me. He lowers his hood and long straight hair falls around his shoulders, his hair is brown except for a few strands that were blonde. He turns and looks at Marak, I catch a glimpse of his ears as he turns and I can see that they are pointed. He says some things to Marak before he turns back to look at me, "Do you know if your father had a connection to the night sky?" He asks.

My mouth tries to form the words to answer him but my hands muffle the sound. He sighs and grabs my hands, I tried to pull my hands back but he was stronger than he looked. "He used to tell my mom that he was an alien, and that's why he liked the stars and the moon so much." I say through my teeth.

He smiles when I sway the word alien. "Do you feel a connection to the stars?" He asks, still holding onto my hands.

"Yes, but I feel more connected to the moon than the stars." 

He lets my hands go, "Thank you, that's all I needed to know." 

He stands up and places his hood back on his head, Marak hesitantly removes his gaze from me and does the same. "We will leave you and your friends to your dinner. But this won't be the last you see of us." Nir says before he turns and walks back to the table where the other three were still seated, Marak follows him.

Arin and Mark's heads snap up and they continue to eat, all the others in the diner go back to what they are doing, as if nothing had happened. "Hey." Arin says to get my attention, "Are you ok?"

I look at my friends and scoot back to my original spot and smile, "Yeah, I'm fine."

I start eating and notice the waitress as she brings the food to Marak and Nir's table. This was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this took so long to update, I had graduation and then issues with work. But, hopefully this was a good chapter! I'm also trying to figure out how I can make the chapters longer. I'm also having issues with writer's block. But I will try to update more often! Thanks for reading! Also, I couldn't remember what the Elf King was supposed to be called without reading the book, so I just gave him the same name as the Elf King in the last book of the Hollow Kingdom trilogy.


End file.
